EU policy in the area of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters

Abstract

Crime has always manifested itself in society. Over the years, there has been a structural increase in crime. This fast growing rate of deviance, led governments to re-evaluate their action in light of certain worrying trends. As an outcome, the EU set law enforcement measures to tackle and prevent the escalation of crime within the Union. Title VI was introduced in the Maastricht Treaty and the subsequent Treaty of Amsterdam further developed this third pillar. Title VI evolved over time and was named "Provisions on Police and Judicial Cooperation in criminal matters", focusing on achieving "an area of freedom, security and justice". The 1999 Tampere conclusions expanded on the notion of police and judicial cooperation, highlighting the importance of Europol and Eurojust, and the collaboration of national authorities across Member States, in the challenging attempt to curtail crime.